15 Candles and Not a Soul To Celebrate
by SilentJubilee
Summary: Jubilee never considered herself to be Amara's friend. But when she overhears the princess crying in her bedroom, she can't help but intrude just a little bit.


**Disclaimer:** I do not own X-men: Evolution of any of its characters. I only own the idea and words put into this fanfiction.

**Author's Note: **This came to me while I was listening to 'Mad World' from the Donnie Darko soundtrack for about the 3rd time today. I don't know much about Amara's character or her realationship with Jubilee, so I kind of took some liberties in that area. No femslash intended, however if that's how you want to read it, far be it from me to stop you. Oh and the bit about Jubilee being discalculic, is actually something she said in a Wolverine comic just so you know. Enjoy!

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My mind was pulsing with only one thought. I freakin' hate algebra. The teacher had given me double homework that night for 'disrupting class'. Yeah, whatever. I was still pissed and just wanted to go to my own room and get it over with. "Hey" Nightcrawler greeted as I passed. I ignored him, and stomped down the hall. I don't know, maybe I was over reacting. But like I said, I freakin' hate algebra. I'm discalculic. It's like dyslexia except with numbers. But apparently its not bad enough to be put in a special class or anything, so I just get stuck with C's the whole year. Ugh. 

Well as I was making my way toward my room, I passed Miss Princess Aquilla's room and groaned at the thought of her nagging. Just because we were on the same team, didn't mean I had to like her. We just didn't have much in common. Besides, I preferred to hang out with the boys, they were much more fun. But as I passed, I didn't hear the usual sound of generic pop music coming from inside. I stopped…was that-- was she…crying?

I forgot all about myself for a moment and leaned in closer to the door.I could hear her simpering. That didn't seem like Amara. I didn't think that royalty was allowed to cry. Or at least I had never seen her do it. Even when she got hurt in training, she would just dust herself off, suck it up and keep going. She had a strong will. I guess that was something that I both admired and disliked about her. Which made me wonder, what could possibly bring her to tears?

I shrugged and was about to go back to my own business. _It was probably just some boy or something_ I thought. But the sound her sobs held me to the spot. _Maybe I should check on her._ I pushed on the door lightly, and poked my head in just enough to see her there in the fetal position with her back to me.

"Hey." I whispered, already beginning to feel uncomfortable. I shouldn't have barged in, it wasn't my business being here. When she heard me step inside, she sat abruptly upright, wiping her cheeks.

"What do you want?" she asked crossly as I braved to take a step closer.

"Just making sure that you were alright." I explained, unable to say anything else.

"I'm fine." She replied curtly. I took this as my cue to leave, even though the redness of her eyes told me that she really wasn't. But as I turned to walk out she spoke up "Since when did you start caring about me anyway?"

I guess that was a reasonable questions. As I said before, we had never really acted like the best of friends, but I took her question as a window of opportunity for me to stay and made my way back to where she sat.

"We're a team…that's what we are supposed to do." I said rather unconvincingly.

She snorted. "Yeah? Some team."

There was a short awkward pause between us while I thought about how to respond, and she stared at the floor. She was right, we weren't much of a team. Ever since she and Bobby started ditching us to hang out with the older X-men, while us newbies were left behind, the whole community aspect of it just kind of broke down.

Despite the fact that I already knew the answer, I asked "What do you mean?"  
By look of her face, her initial reaction was anger but behind that I could see that she was keeping something to herself.

"Look, you don't have to act like we are friends. Just go do whatever you were doing, I'm fine." She stated firmly.

I twisted my mouth in uncertainty. I could either leave then, and pretend that I never heard her muffled cries when we saw each other later. Or I could stay, and try to help with whatever it was. "No. You're not fine." I decided taking a seat next to her on the bed. "Just because we don't always act like friends, doesn't mean we can't start now."I voiced, hoping that she would see my sincerityShe turned away from me which told me that she wasn't ready to forgive me for my past neglect.

"What's wrong Amara? I heard you crying. And you're a tough girl...something must be bugging you." I persisted.

I watched silently as tears welled up in her eyes. She didn't look at me, instead she focused on her hands. Finally she whispered, "It's my birthday today."

My heart sank as I realized what she must be feeling. "Oh, Amara…" I breathed sympathetically.

"No one remembered." She continued, "No one even said Happy Birthday. Nothing…" he voice was breaking. "Not even my parents." I witnessed as the tears spilled out onto her cheeks. She buried her face in her hands and wept. "They don't care…They don't care…." She repeated and I found myself forming tears of my own for her.

Instinctively I reached over and just held her. She didn't shy away from me, instead she cried into my shirt as I hugged her as tight as I could. "It's Ok…It's Ok…I'm here…I care…I care." All the while I whispered quiet reassuring phrases and rocked her back and forth as if she were only a fragile child instead of the grown princess that I had known her to be.

When her sobbing had slowed into only an occasional sniffle, she laid down again, hugging her pillow to her. I took off my shoes and laid with her. I know it sounds weird, but it felt like the right thing to do. She needed some one to be there for her…she needed…a friend.

We sat in silence like that, both thinking I guess.

"Can you believe…my own parents forgot that it was my birthday." She said softly when she was ready to speak again.

"Maybe they were busy…I mean they do rule Nova Roma and all. I'm sure they'll have an huge party for you next time you visit." I offered weakly wondering if I didn't just make her feel worse by suggesting that they might have been too busy to remember their own daughter. Amara gave no answer other than exhaling a breath it seems that she had been holding.

"It wasn't just them either…" She spoke slowly. "Everyone forgot. Jean…Kitty…even Tabby…and you." As she named them off I felt a pang of guilt hit me. How could everyone in the mansion have forgotten? _We're supposed to be a team…_

I sat up, this was unacceptable. "I didn't forget." I lied.  
She shifted to look at me. She was studying my face as if trying to find a reason to call my bluff. "Wait right here." I told her as I jumped up. _What was I doing? _I didn't exactly know yet, but I had to do something. I went into my room and looked around, hoping that something would jump out at me and inspire me.

When nothing did, I searched through my dresser. _Perfect! _I recovered a relatively new necklace that I had, still in the box and everything. I had only worn it once, maybe twice counting the day that I bought it. And in 2 minutes I had a makeshift card to go with it.

I knocked gently on her door. "It's me." I announced.

"You can come in." she called from the other side. I entered with a grin on my face and the present behind my back, to make as if I had been planning this 'surprise' all along. "Close your eyes." I commanded and she gave me a '_What are you up to?_' look but complied.

I slipped the box and card into her hands. She opened her eyes and looked at me, confused and wide-eyed, all the while I retained my Cheshire cat smile.

_SURPRISE! _

Happy Birthday Amara!  
Have fun being 15,  
Don't ever change!

xoxox Jubilee

It read in green and purple marker. It wasn't great, but I hoped that it would be enough. Amara gave the faintest outline of a smile as she read it and then put the card aside to open the box. I chewed my lip in anticipation as she lifted the lid.

"Jubilee, you didn't have to do this." She said finally, staring down at the heart pendant.

"Sure I did. It is your birthday after all."

"No, what I mean is…this is yours." She said simply while delicately lifting the silver chain from it's holding place. "I've seen you wear it before."

I bit into my cheek. "Oh." I hadn't realized that she even paid that much attention to me outside of the danger room sessions.

She stood up and attempted to hand it back to me, but I shook my head in refusal.  
"No, honestly Amara, I want you to have it." I said, placing the clasp around her neck. "It's my gift to you."

And for the first time since...too long…she gave me a genuine smile. "Thanks Jubilee."

"Happy Birthday." I returned the smile warmly.

"Now let's see what we can do about baking you a birthday cake to celebrate…"

"That's fine-- as long as Kitty doesn't make it." She joked.

I laughed at her comment. "Yeah that'd be great, food poisoning on your birthday." Maybe the princess wasn't so bad after all.

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Pretty please review with cherries on top. I even accept flames actually heh. Guess I'm just desperate for attention.  
But it makes me do a little 'inbox dance' when I see FF as e-mailed me with new reviews and stuff like that.  
Anywho...thanks for readin'.

P.S. This is meant to be a one shot but I guess if enough people wanted to see more, and if I cared enough to write more, then it might happen.


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